Fun facts

Teddy DurginSpecial to Baltimoresun.com

Are you having a few film buffs over for an Oscar party? Would you like to impress them with your uncanny knowledge of Oscar trivia? Here are a few fun facts about the annual ceremony to sprinkle in amid the overdone musical numbers and the nominees for Best Documentary (short subject).

The Show

The shortest Oscar ceremony on record was held in 1929. Since the winners were announced three months earlier, the whole shindig ran 15 minutes.

The longest Oscar telecast to date was the 2002 ceremony. It ran a whopping 4 hours and 16 minutes.

The Oscar statue itself is a depiction of a knight with a sword standing on a reel of film whose spokes represent the five original branches of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences -- Actors, Directors, Writers, Producers and Technicians.

The Stars

Laurence Olivier (for "Hamlet" in 1948) and Roberto Benigni (for "Life Is Beautiful" in 1998) remain the only actors to actually direct themselves to an Oscar for acting.

Jose Ferrer is the only actor who has ever won the Oscar, Tony and Emmy for playing the same role. The character? Cyrano de Bergerac.

Keisha Castle-Hughes, 13, ranks as the youngest performer ever to be nominated for Best Actress for her performance in this year's "Whale Rider." Who is the youngest male to receive a nod for Best Actor? Former child star Jackie Cooper for his lead role in 1931's "Skippy." Cooper was only 9 years old at the time.

The ages skew even younger in the supporting categories. Tatum O'Neal was only 10 when she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in "Paper Moon" (1973). Justin Henry trumps them all with his Best Supporting Actor nomination at the age of 8 for his role in "Kramer Vs. Kramer" (1979).

The Beatles won the Oscar for Best Musical Score for "Let It Be" (1970).

Judi Dench won Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Shakespeare in Love" (1998). She appeared onscreen for only eight minutes.